Decoding the Past
by rowansmuse
Summary: Follows Hermione on a journey through her 6th and 7th years as well as time at school while being enamored with a one Severus Snape? Absolutely. Spoliers for HBP and DH; not epilogue compliant as usual.
1. All Sorts at Hogwarts

Decoding the Past

by Rowans Muse

A/n Sorry to anyone who started reading this fic when it was first published; I had no Idea where I wanted this story to go at all and I was trying some artsy way of writing that I found annoying after a bit of revision. Some of this first bit is rewritten and I will attempt at updating soon with some new material. Thanks.

disclaimer as usual: I dont not own HP

**Severus was always afraid when he had to meet with other Slytherin Society members. Most of the older boys were just bullies but their parents had a lot of connection to high powered jobs in the ministry. That was only reason he joined their secret brotherhood in the first place. There were always older men who came in to teach and speak at the monthly club meetings, mostly powerful past Slytherin alumni. The Society was open to any Slytherin but you had to pass all sorts of test, both physical, emtional and intellectual so that only the keenest students could be in it. Even as scrawny as Severus's measly 140 pound frame was he passed every test thrown at him. After tonight, he would belong.**

Just like she had a dozen times before, Hermione went back in time. Only an hour here or there, of course; just so she could take extra classes. She didn't even know why advanced runes interested her so much. It was at least enough of an interest that she begged Professor Babbling who spoke with Professor McGonagall who then inquired of the headmaster who in turn suggested the time turner. Ever since the first time she saw a magical artifact with runes she had been obsessed with deciphering and decoding. This story has very little to do with magic runes.

Hermione always ducked into the same empty classroom to do her traveling. It was indicated by Dumbledore that there were never any lessons taught in this room. It had been a potions classroom long ago, before the dungeons had been made suitable for human occupation so no matter if she was going forward or backwards she would never encounter anyone. She had been careful to see no one followed her, which was always a task having her two best friends constantly at her side but even today she seemed to manage. As she walked into the shadows she quietly closed the door behind her. She observed her surroundings on the off chance other students had maybe noticed the empty room and decided to take advantage of an out of the way place to snog. Desks had been placed on top of one another in one corner and dusty shelving occupied another. Aside from that the room was empty and she was safe. She put her hand to the small device she wore on a chain around her neck and felt the cold metal's smooth surface. She breathed in a short breath as she began the spell to activate it. As everything whirled around her, Hermione was deathly quiet. She was a smart girl and knew the dangers of time manipulation, even if it was only a few hours. When the spell was broken she raised her wand and cast _tempus_ to make sure she was in time for her class. The time turner had never made her late before but being the perfectionist she was, she had to check. It was a few minutes before three and she would be right on time if she hurried.

She was not as careful leaving the room as she had been going in since there wasn't much need. Who cared if someone saw her leaving an abandoned classroom? Hermione rushed down the hall and bumped past students, not even noticing who they were. She made it to the staircases and dashed up each step with a hurried breath. As the stairways creaked with their movement she bounced up and down with anticipation when she was at the top waiting for a connection to be made. Finally she was tearing down the hall and jumped through the door, stumbling and dropping a few blank rolls or parchment to the ground. She blushed horribly as she bent over to retrieve her things. As she scooped them up into her arms she opened her mouth and looked up. "I'm sorry I'm late, the stairs took forev-" She stopped speaking for a moment because instead of being in Bathsheda Babbling's class she just had run into the wrong one entirely. She looked about as the students giggled at her frenzy. She heard one of them snicker as ran out of the room, "Silly first years. Always getting lost."

That statement puzzled her for a moment. She definitely wasn't a first year. No, in fact she had been attending Hogwarts for five other years besides this one. She was not as short as the 11 year olds assuredly. Had not one person in that room recognized her? She looked at the classroom number to see where she had gone wrong; whether she needed to move one class up or down. But she was surprised to find she had been in the correct classroom. She had already checked the time so she knew she was in the right place. With a puzzled look she walked down the corridor. _This makes no sense,_ she thought to herself. She glanced at the doors of each class as she walked towards the Gryffindor Tower. _I must be over doing myself with this; I should probably lie down before I move back to normal time because this way I can get extra sleep. _

She got to the portrait and she said the password but the picture did not swing forward to give her entrance. She asked the Fat Lady if the password had expired. The Lady replied that even if it had, 'Babbity Rabbity' was not the one it was changed from. Hermione slumped at the shoulders and sighed. What a day she was having. She turned on her heels to go back to the classroom to head back to the time where she knew her own Tower's password when she bumped right into another girl trying to enter. All Hermione saw was a flash of red hair when she fell to the ground. Ginny, I forgot the password she mumbled as she got up and dusted her self off.

"Oi you must be knew. The password is baubles. Its Lily, by the way, not Ginny. Lily Evans. I don't think we have met."

Hermione looked up at the girl in a bit of shock. Was she really was standing in front of Harry's mum? _I must have gotten the incantation wrong. Sent back instead of 1995 but to 1975. How foolish of me to be in such a rush that I didn't even pay attention to the words coming out of my mouth. I can't tell her who I am. I suppose its no consequence to her since my parents are muggles but just on the safe side…_ "My name is Jane."

"Hello Jane. Where in the tower are you staying?"

"I actually don't know. Sounds foolish, doesn't it? I just arrived and I'm not sure where I am to go."

"You have no parcels for you to just be arriving."

Hermione thought quickly and answered, they were sent along ahead of me. "Maybe I should go to see the headmaster."

"Quite right. He is wonderful, Jane. You will like him a lot. Ill see you later at dinner, yeah?"

"Yes, yes. Of course. I'm sure I will notice your pretty hair."

Lily's cream skin blushed lightly. "Thanks. It does get me some attention, unwanted sometimes. There is this boy, James Potter. He is the most popular boy in Gryffindor but mostly I think he is an immature git. He keeps asking me to go to Hogsmede with him on weekends. "

"Well I'm sure he will be a good man when he grows up. You should give him a chance. I will see you later, ok?" Hermione said as she began to walk away.

"Ok, Lily said as she waived her new acquaintance goodbye."

As thought raced through her mind Hermione was at the Headmaster's Tower almost immediately. She knocked lightly next to the gargoyle hoping someone was inside. The magical guardian yawned and opened its beak to speak to her. I can see in your heart you do not know this password, nor have you ever known it. But your Gryffindor courage speaks leaps and bounds which for that is why I am letting you in. The door swung open and Hermione stepped inside. This was the first time she had ever been in Dumblefore's office but Harry had described it to her plenty of times. Being there in reality was much for awesome. The books everywhere was enough for the girl to cry right there. The shear amount of knowledge contained in those shelves could keep her busy past her lifetime. "Hullo?" she called. Dumbledore stepped out of a side door and into the area where Hermione was.

"Yes my child. What can I do for you?"

Hermione took the time turner off from around her neck and held it in her hands. "Professor, she began. I don't know why I am here. You set me up with this device so I could attend two classes n the same moment in time. I did it like any other day but I must have screwed up the incantation because this is not where I am supposed to be."

Dumbledore looked down at the girl and said, "when are you supposed to be?"

"1995."

He shook his head a bit and put out his hand for the object. Hermione handed it over embarrassingly. The man picked up his wand and pointed it at the time turner. It began to move as it would when it was active but suddenly stopped. "It seems to have gotten wet, Miss."

"Oh, no", she cried. "I did dribble water on myself earlier from the fountain. I didn't even think about me wearing the time turner. Do you know where I can get another so I can get home?"

"Well I am not sure where I acquired this one. But I will have to try for you, wont I? Don't worry; you can attend classes here and such until I get this sorted out. What house were you in dear? Ravenclaw I suppose since you were doing this for extra class work."

"Gryffindor actually sir."

"I will have to get your head of house to set you up in room."

"Sir. If its not too much trouble… she fumbled. Is there room with Lily Potter sir? She is my best friend's mum and I met here before I came here. I would feel most comfortable staying with someone I know."

"I'll see if it can be arranged."

Hogwarts really hasn't changed that much in these few years, Hermione thought to herself. Even though, I don't think _Hogwarts: A history_ really does this place justice. Hermione was carrying an empty suitcase Dumbledore had given her up to Gryffindor Tower. The teachers were able to magic out the room a bit to add a bed and Hermione would be able to share with Lily after all. She was this time equipped with the correct password and entered the dormitories. The common room was pretty much the same; maybe the furniture was in different places but the warm feeling of home couldn't be replaced for Hermione. She had a small slip of paper in her hand with the room number on it and she began to scan the hallway for the right room. When she found it she turned the knob and held her breath. She put one put in as she swung the door and looked around. She hoped no one had been there but Lily was alone and sitting on the bed. She was reading in a book but looked up when she heard the door.

"Jane! You are who the extra bed appeared for. That's wonderful."

"Yes, I'm glad I got a room with you."

"I'm about to go down for dinner; are you hungry?"

"Starved actually," Hermione answered and she was.

"Well good. I've some people to introduce you too."

Lily was the bubbliest person Hermione had ever met. She always bounced around here and there and had the most obnoxious laugh. But she was as friend and while in this situation Hermione wasn't going to turn one of those away. The two girls walked side by side as Lily showed Hermione where dinner was and Hermione was pretending she didn't already know. When they finally arrived Lily drug Hermione over to the end of the Gryffindor table. Both girls sat down and Lily began to point through the crowds and named many of the people they saw.

"That there is James Potter, the guy I was telling you about that is hounding me for a date. Next to him is his best friend, Sirius Black. They are both in our house"- she said but abruptly stopped speaking when another student came up her and cleared his throat. Severus she said.

"Who's this?" the boy asked with a almost a snarl.

"This is Jane. She just started here. She is in our year."

Hermione was at a loss of what to do. She looked down in her lap and finally uttered a hello.

"You would probably get on with her Sev, she is shy just like you."

"Bah, go on. I'll see you later." And with that Hermione's professor was gone.

"I promise you will like him, Jane. He is my best friend. Never mind he is a Slytherin; he has been good to me even before I came here. He is the smartest boy I have ever met. How are you in subjects?"

"I'm fair I suppose. I spend a lot of time studying to get good grades. There isn't much I'm a natural at but..."

"Oh Severus is a natural at potions. If you ever need help just ask him. He is always helping me with my remedial work for Slughorn."

While Lily went off on a tangent about how horrible she was at potions, Hermione searched the crowd for Severus. There was just something about him in this time that interested her. He wasn't as sour in his youth than when he was her professor. She could see he was still very proud and very bright. Much like herself. He wasn't even so bad looking when he wasn't so much older than her. She could see the way he made eyes at Lily. That was a secret she sure he would never share with Harry in the future. Finally she found not only him but his eyes staring back at her. He found it fit to watch her as well which made her a bit uncomfortable. She blinked a few times purposely but he still did not change his gaze.

"Jane?" Lily asked waving her hand in front of Hermione's face. "Are you okay? What are you staring at?" She began to crane her neck around to see what was holding her new friend's attention. Wow he seems serious. I wonder what has gotten into him.

Severus was puzzled by the new girl. It was a very rare occurrence for a student to start in the middle of the year. Most students only arrived as children after receiving a Hogwarts letter. So right there is something a bit odd. She was acting very shy but he knew that no Gryffindor was shy. That meant to Severus there were extreme circumstances under which she had come; he worried for Lily who had seemed to get so close to her in such a short period of time. Whatever darkness was surrounding this Jane hopefully would not swallow Lily whole. He would have to get to the bottom of that situation soon.

"Its ok he is watching you, Jane. He is very protective of me, that's all."

"I find myself watching him too, embarrassingly enough. He looks like someone I knew back home."

"Jane? Do you have a crush on my best friend?"

"I would not call it a crush; Just an interest. He seems like someone I would like to get to know."

"You will see him. Most of the Gryffindor classes are held with Slytherin. It's how we get around the whole housing clique in our friendship."

Lily stood up from the table after seeing Hermione was through eating. "I have some homework to get to. Want to come to the library with me?"

"Yeah I'd love to. Books really are my passion."

"Great. Come on," Lily said as she bounced off down the hall with Hermione's hand in hers.

Damn her. Bad enough I am fawning over one Gryffindor but two? There is no way she would be interested in anyone like me, Severus thought as he brushed his hair out of his face. He had been sitting in the library staring at Hermione reading for the past hour or so while Lily tried to get through her Arithmancy lessons. She flipped the pages almost frantic. She has to be intelligent by the way she is into that book. I saw her take it off of the shelf. That is advanced stuff.

Hermione knew his eyes were on her, she wasn't a dope. She tried to keep her nose in her book where it belonged, not being looked over while its owner stared at Severus Snape. Why am I so interested in him now? she thought as she carelessly turned pages. She had long since stopped paying attention to the words on the pages as she honed in on her feelings. What do I know of Snape anyway? Outspoken. Controlling. A bit on the unhygienic side. She snuck a peek at him. His good qualities? Intelligent for sure. Lily said he was good to her which I guess means he does have a caring bone somewhere in his body. I should be spending less time focused on boys and more on my getting out of here. She flipped back odd pages in her text trying to resume the reading on time spells.

"Gosh this is heavy reading, " Hermione finally said as she put down the book and pushed her chair away from the table.

"Well I'm about finished myself," Lily replied. She closed her text and folded her parchment to put it away.

"You go on ahead. I have to put this back and I'm going to look up one more thing before I head back to the tower. Is that alright?"

"Sure," Lily said getting up from the table. "See you when you get in. Don't forget the password this time, ok?"

Hermione made a face and both of the girls giggled. I am so lucky to have found a friend so fast here. Harry is so like her in a million ways which I guess makes him lucky too. Hermione looked around and spotted Severus sitting alone pretending to be doing his own work. In between page flips he glanced at her narrowly even though Lily was gone. It seems he has an interest in me too, she thought. She picked up the book from the table and slowly walked over to where her future professor sat. He looked up almost startled to see her coming his directions. Furiously he looked down at his parchment and began to press so hard with his quill the ink was blotting with each stroke.

"Hello again," Hermione said when she reached the edge the table he was working at.

"Is there something you wanted? Maybe with that book you have in your arms? It must be way passed your level."

"Actually," Hermione began. She cleared her throat and looked right into his eyes. "Actually I came to ask why you kept staring at us. Particularly me."

There was her Gryffindor bravery, thought Severus. But how should he answer this girl? He didn't want to say anything too outlandish because she would tell Lily he had been mean to her. But he also wanted to scare her enough to leave his friend alone. Just don't tell her you love Lily. And don't tell her you think shes pretty. Infernal Gryffindors!

"To tell you the truth I wanted to know why you are here. No one just transfers in like a muggle school. Where were you when you were supposed to get you Hogwarts letter?"

"At home with my parents. They are muggles," she answered confidently. Its not totally a lie,she thought. I was at home and they are muggles. I just cant say I did begin attending Hogwarts at age 11 but it was just 20 tiny years in the future.

"Both of your parents are muggles. You have no wizarding blood at all?"

"None that we know of."

"Lily's parents are both muggles too. I'm half."

"Of what?" Hermione asked. She still was looking deep into his eyes as she hung on every low word coming out of his mouth. He sounded so astute, and a adorable.

"Wizard. It doesn't matter though. I will still be a great potion's master someday."

"I don't think it matters either. By the way this book isn't too far beyond my comprehension. Its just a lot to soak in. There are a lot of spells I think could be important to someone, someday."

By this time Severus wasn't even thinking about chasing this girl away from Lily. He was so entranced with the way she wrinkled her nose as she spoke and how the last bit of light from the nearest window played off of her hair. He only wanted to tell her she was beautiful. He couldn't be falling for her too. Its impossible. What is wrong with him? He shook his head and broke her gaze.

"Just don't hurt Lily," he said after a moment of quiet. "She's my best friend. I don't know what I would do without her."

"Does the big, bad Slytherin have feelings?" she teased.

"It's nothing you would know anything about." And with that he muttered a silent spell that packed his school bag immediately and it followed him as he stalked out of the library.

In the hallway he was stopped by Lucius Malfoy. "Why is it whenever I am sent to find you, you are always in the presence of a pesky Gryffindor female? We allowed you to have contact with Lily because you have always known her but I'm not sure if the Society will allow another contact to those idiots."

"If it's a problem you can just tell the Society I want nothing to do with that one. What does anyone need me for anyway? No one has papers due right now."

"All in good time, initiate Snape," Lucius replied as he put his arm behind Severus's back to guide him down the hall.


	2. Crush the Crush and a Society's Tale

Chapter two

As Severus was escorted down the hall he looked at the boy who was almost his only friend. Not that they were truly friends but at least Lucius didn't push him down or taunt him the ways that other students did. Most of the other society members were horrified to find that he had passed all of their rituals and would join their elite club. He didn't have the looks of a society member or the family background as well as his personality was severely lacking. But when all was said and done, Lucius had smiled. At this very moment he was also smiling as his hand slid from Severus's back down a but lower. "I love when you look so scared," he purred as he grabbed at the object of his momentary lust.

"Would you not and could you not continue to do that? I told you last time I was not interested in the society's games"

"Oh don't be a sorry boy, Sev. You know only those that participate in our debauchery will be chosen from these ranks to work for the higher up. Most of these losers would kill to have me put the moves on them, in fact they would kill their mothers for a chance to work for Him."

"I didn't join to get in good with that crazy man. I did it for a job," Severus said as he struggled free from Lucius's grasp. He began to walk faster pace to the Slytherin common room where most of the larger meetings were held. The select few who worked for Him had their own meeting places and he vowed never to enter there. The boys there, he had heard, had everything from orgies to practicing dark magic at these "events", as Lucius referred to them, in the name of some dark wizard. He was often invited by his escort but always found a way to weasel out.

"It's a pity, really," Lucius said quietly. " He really fancies you. And so do I."

A bead of sweat began to run down Severus's face as they neared the destination. When he first walked in he summoned his back cloak and it swallowed him. He pulled up the hood hoping this uniform could not only conceal his identity but would shield him from the other boy's intentions. Lucius did them same as the lights went out. He took a step forward and was front to back with Severus. "He really fancies you," he whispered in his ear. "He is a powerful wizard and you should be flattered. Someday He will rule the wizarding world. He fancies you, and He is here today."

Hermione left the library and trudged to Gryffindor tower. Oh he was just as infuriating as a boy as his is as a man, she said to herself. I almost was having a real conversation with him and he just wouldn't have it. I'm not sure how Lily stands it.

"How Lily stand what?" the red haired girl asked with a giggle. Hermione had made it all of the way to her room and hadn't even realized she was speaking out loud.

"I was just talking to your friend, Severus in the library and he..."

"He actually spoke to you?" she butted in.

"If that's what you call a conversation, I suppose so. Everything was normal but he just like freaked out and left. I don't know how you stand it."

"I have to admit he can be that way sometimes. Jane I have to tell you about him. He is my best friend but there are things you need to know before you continue to pursue this crush." Lily patted her bed and motioned for Hermione to come and sit next to her, which she did. "Severus and I have known each other since we were kids. When magic things started happening to me he noticed and was able to explain it. He explained that I wasn't a freak, it was actually a wonderful gift. I will always be in debt to what he did for me as a kid, but lately I have been worried about him. He has always been moody but lately its worse. He has almost shut off from me and is always hanging out with the Slytherin Society boys."

"What's that?" Hermione asked.

"Well he wasn't really able to tell me about it because they are sworn to secrecy. I know its like a fraternity of sorts for Slytherin boys. I know that 90% of the members become officials in our government or some variation of an important job. That's why Severus said he was joining, because he is a half blood and needed connections for a potions apprenticeship. There are not many half bloods in Slytherin and especially not in the society. Most of the alumni who come to out school to speak are part of the pure blood power movement. He said that his sponsor wanted him to stop talking to me because I'm a muggle born. He said he would never but I sometimes think he has gotten mixed up with people he can't handle."

"He would never give up on is friendship with you, Lily. I can tell he is crushing on you."

Lily began to blush. "Oh I don't think. We have been such good friends you may just be seeing that. I think it's almost a miracle he spoke to you for even a while since he's been in such a funk. Just be careful, OK? Deep down he is a really good guy, just right now, I don't know."

"Don't worry. After our conversation today I'm not sure if I like him much at all. Bed, Ok? It's been a long first day?"

"Ok goodnight," Lily said as she stared to tie up her hair. Hermione got down off of the bed and went behind the dressing screen to change out of her school robes and into her pajamas. Thoughts continued to race through her mind. She thought of the Snape she knew from her own time. He was hard and cold. He seemed so unfeeling as he took points and gave detentions. That's the only give and take he knew and wasn't that the basis of a relationship? She couldn't understand why she even thought he was attractive. With that thought she pulled her nightshirt over her head and decided then and there to crush her crush.

Severus closed the door to his dorm and raced to his bed. His two roommates had not yet returned from the Society function that had been held in the great hall for the lower members and friends. It was the perfect ruse for the Him to come and speak to his followers right here in Hogwarts. The Society sponsored some kind of social for any Slytherin student so everyone would be gone so that the inner society, as he found they had been called this evening, could meet with all prospective new members. He, the one everyone referred to as a Lord, was a huge player in the pure blood movement and was vieing for power with the Ministry of Magic; he believed that Dark magic was good and the way for him to usurp the government. He was looking for recruits for his army and for this Malfoy had put in both of their names. The slimy man had spoken to Severus with such charm he almost said yes on the spot but had been pulled back by his conscience. As soon as he could he had ran back to think about what had just happened.

He had been offered an apprenticeship like he so desired. This man knew he was a half breed and still offered to make him a high ranking official in his party after graduation. But Severus did not believe in the cause this man was fighting for. He didn't want to part of some army that was going to ruin the wizarding world he had embraced his whole adolscence. He also knew he didn't want to be part of this man's harem; which was the condition to his offer. Oh but to be a part of something important that he longed for and was a detail he could not ignore. But Lily, beautiful Lily, his first love would be doomed if this man took power. No. He could not be a part of that. He would have to protect her. And the muggle born, Jane? Well she would have to just figure it out for herself. He wasn't dieing for two beautiful Gryffindors. He would just have to get her out of his mind. But he couldn't.


	3. Perspectives

Chapter 3

a/n: As for the last chapter I apologize for no warnings, but I promise this is not a slash fic.

Hermione woke up in her bed with a cold feeling in her toes. Not just her toes but up her legs and spine as well. She laid there a moment as she came from her deep sleep and joined the realm of the waken and wriggled her toes to circulate her blood that had gone cold. She had been having the most shockingly real dream of her young life. She had been dreaming of Harry and her body aching to be next Ron at some House function when suddenly the Snape she knew pushed the boys aside and took a seat next to her. He was just twining his cold and bony fingers around hers as she opened her eyes. So much for stopping her crush she thought to herself as she swung her legs over the side of the bed. She looked around at the other girls and saw they were all still fast asleep while the sunlight was just beginning to shine through their window. Hermione got up and pulled out the robes she had discarded the evening previously as set to work getting ready for the day. With each movement her bones ached with a cold she couldn't shake, almost as if a cooling spell had been thrust upon her; but she knew it had been the dream. Because she liked the adolescent Snape did that mean it would translate into feelings when she got home? She only hoped all of these feelings would go away and she could return home soon. She was then ready and Lily stirred in the bed. Hermione turned and the other girl had already gotten to her feet. Lily yawned and said " I'm famished, ready for breakfast?"

"Yeah you go ahead and get ready. I'm going to try and find my schedule. My books and everything must have came while we were in the library last night," she said indicating the pile of fresh parchment and texts next to her night table. Lily turned to fin her own robes as Hermione started to push through the new package. On top was a note folded and sealed with the Hogwarts crest. She opened it an began reading to herself what she found to be a letter from Dumbledore.

"Jane- I was able to procure books etc for you classes. Most of them are classroom copies since I didn't have much notice but I hope they will be good to you. Have a good 'first' day. Sincerely, Pr Dumbledore." She looked down to the edge of the paper and it read " PS- I have not yet had any luck finding the item that we discussed in my office. But do not worry, fate has brought you here and it will guide you during your stay."

"What item?" Lily asked looking over her shoulder.

"Oh," she replied embarrassingly, "just a photo of my parents that didn't seem to make it through the move. It's nothing that won't turn up."

"Well then are you ready?" Lily asked. Hermione nodded and Lily bounded towards the door. When Hermione didn't follow right away she held her hand out at the door for her to take it. " Let me see you schedule. We hopefully have all of our classes together."

"I have transfiguration. Double potions. Lunch. Charms. Ruins. Arithmancy."

"Oh me too! Ruins is a bother but every witch should know how to read them."

"I saw ruins once and I think it is fascinating, I hadn't known what they were at the time," she answered trying to cover her almost slip.

As the pair got to the table there was a rose sitting in Lily's normal seat. She picked it up and examined it thoughtfully. "Who do you think would have put this here?" she wondered aloud as she put her nose to it.

"Maybe Severus. I told you he has a heart for you," Hermione said with a giggled as a shadow was cast over the table from behind.

"I would do no such thing," came a quiet yet cantankerous voice.

Severus had woken up that morning also in a funk. He stubbed his tow getting out of bed and had gotten stuck as he tried to put on his trouser backwards. All because of a dream about that dreadful Gryffindor girl. He almost didn't remember it; why would he want to? But he could still feel her warm lip marks on his cheek as if she had truly kissed him in a empty corridor. Blast it, she had hardly been here any time at all and he was engaging in a puppy dog crush. And when he had so much to think about too.

When he got to breakfast he could see she was already there and standing with Lily. He couldn't make up his mind whether he would go talk to her or brood alone as usual. He saw the two girls engaged in a happy conversation. He saw her toss her hair and go in for a secret whisper with his best friend. It was too much and he couldn't keep himself away. As he walked up behind them he saw the flower Lily was holding and he heard the words come out of her friend's mouth. He only could answer, "I would do no such thing."

"Good morning, Sev. I believe you but, if it's not from you, then who is it from?" The two girls sat down and Severus stepped back as James Potter approached them. He cleared his throat and Lily turned her head at him and smiled.

"I hope you like it, " He said. "I spent a while trying to get it bloom just right this time of day."

"It's very nice. I've never gotten flowers before."

Severus stared at James. Hermione saw jealousy and rage written all over his face. Obviously Sirius saw it too.

"What are gawking at, Snivelus? Hoping he would have brought one for you too?" he said with a snicker. Severus only turned away and ignored them. Hermione couldn't believe Severus Snape was standing down from a confrontation. The man she knew would have hexed this boy off of the planet. Or so she thought. Maybe she did need to get to know him.

Lily scowled but James put his hand to her chin. "Please, will you join me on free weekend? I promise it wouldn't be last flower you got from me."

Lily looked to Hermione for an answer and she nodded reassuringly. "Ok," she said. "I'll go with you."

"How about a double?" Sirius piped in. " I could take your friend. Sorry we haven't met. I'm Sirius." he said while holding out his hand.

Hermione took it with courage and said, "No, thanks. I think Severus and I have plans. You really should watch out before you insult someone's boyfriend right in front of them," she said as she let go of his hand. "It's Jane by the way."

"Well, Jane," Sirius said with an astounded look on his face. " When you realize what a loser he is I'll still be here." And with that the boys walked away, one picturing his trophy and the other cradling a bruised ego.

As the boys left, Severus turned to Hermione. "What are you making fun of me now too?"

"What do you mean making fun of you? I was just trying to stand up for you."

"Standing up for me? Are you bonkers? No one would believe in a million years that I would be dating you."

Hermione's face flushed as she got up from her seat and pushed her face into his. "What? Do you think you are too good for me?"

Severus was lost in her beautiful eyes and her almost sallow skin. How gorgeous pale could actually be he thought to himself. He moved his face closer to hers and whispered, "No, I'm a nothing. You haven't been here a day and you could command all the attention in this room. I am not too good for you, it is quite you are too good for me." Before she realized what was going on Severus had pecked her cheek and disappeared.

Lily looked up with a half-hearted smile. "I told you he was something."


	4. stupid, stupid, stupid

Chapter 4

"Stupid stupid stupid! Where was your self control Severus? They will be looking for you now. Malfoy will be here any moment to kick the piss out of you for this. Getting off with a Gryffindor in public. They will kick you out of the society. They will..." Severus's rant was stopped by a hard rap at the door.

"Snape. I saw you do it!" came Lucius's voice from outside of his dorm. There was a moment of silence and then a barrage of banging was accompanied by shouts. "Come to this door. How could you do this to me? I got you into the damn society and this is how you thank me? For Christ will you come to the damn door?"

Severus stood shrunken and reached out his hand and unbolted the lock. "It's open," he replied. Lucius barged in.

"What the hell was that? I saw you kiss that girl."

"In my defense it was only on the cheek," Severus said. He knew he had to think on his feet. He went over to the bed and sat down while Malfoy followed.

"What kind of consideration do you think should be made; just on the cheek indeed."

"Just consider it practice alright. I don't have much experience. I am reviewing the Lord's generous offer. I am thankful you put me in for it, Lucius," he lied. "If I take it I don't want to seem like an idiot."

"I could probably spin it. Alright. Just don't do this again. Gryffindors or otherwise. You have questions you know I'd be more than delighted to give you hands on experience," Lucius pushed Snape's hair out of his eyes. Severus knew better than to shiver or even sweat at the boy's caress.

"I promise. Now I have to get to transfiguration."

"Lucky you," the blonde said as he left Severus alone on the bed.

When he got to transfiguration Hermione was already there but Lily was not. He knew Lily was always late for anything not involving food but he hadn't expected this one to be such an early bird like himself. He knew he would have to face her sometime that day so on the way to class he tried to think of a way to use Slytherin manipulation to get himself out of this one. He walked up to Hermione who had her nose deep in another book about time travel devices.

"I didn't think anyone in our form would be taking magical objects this term but this is the second time I've seen you with one of those books."

"It's interesting. Much like your actions today. What prompted you to do that? I can't say I didn't like it but it was quite unexpected."

When she looked up at him like that he just didn't know what to say to her. "Um, I uh, was just trying to thank you I guess. For making Black so jealous. And mad. I'm not sure which he was more of but I like him being both for once."

"So it wasn't because you like me?" Hermione asked. He held her breath and cold feel her heart beating out of her chest. I thought I was supposed to be destroying this fantasy not exacerbating it. She stared straight into the boy's face and waited for a reply. He moved his tongue over his dry and peeling lips. His hair was a mess like he had slept abysmally and he was almost shaking. But his gaze was practiced and fearless. She began to nervously tap her finger against the desk.

"Do stop that please. I will say this. I can't be seen with you anymore. I am a Slytherin and you are a Gryffindor and you are causing a problem for me with my friends. So I'll just see you around." Severus took a step back, turned, and sat down two seats to her right. Lily filed in soon after. She passed Hermione a note she had already written out asking her if she spoke to Severus. She wrote down what had transpired and passed it back to Lily. When Lily read the note she was biting her lower lip and replied. She handed back the note and all it said was "you ok?" Hermione thought for a moment and said "yeah. I've only known him two days. I'm just homesick." When she gave back the note Lily squeezed her hand. Severus just stared straight on.

The day did seem to get better from there for Hermione. She did well at her spells in class and not too many people stared at her. The professor remembered her name and she didn't fall over in front of everyone as she usually would. She and Lily made it to potions in record time and her potions was brewed so well she could tell even Severus was jealous. She imagined him thinking to himself how could she be such natural? When she was finished she looked over at Lily's cauldron and saw he brew was not even close to the right color and had a horrendous smell. The professor had just left the room and Severus moved over between the two girls.

"Lily, I helped you brew this one before. What did I say about chopping the tail?" he asked, ignoring Hermione with intentionality.

"I'm sorry, I forgot you said it had to be very fine. You know my skills aren't sharp when it comes to splitting ingredients."

"Look I can fix it one last time, OK? You really have to pay attention. That's what I've been telling you for years."

"I know," she said sheepishly.

Hermione began to watch Severus gather counteracting materials very quickly and slip them into her potion. The liquid began to thin out and went from a frumpy gray to a pale blue and the smell had all but vanished. He looked up knowing the professor would be back any moment and said, "it still isn't right but you will pass," passing Hermione's cauldron and sighing with disbelief on his way back to his own classwork. Lily continued to stir the "deemed as passing" concoction and said "thank goodness tomorrow is the weekend."

"Are you ready for your date?" Hermione asked with a forced smile.

"I will be after this," was her friend's reply.


	5. Flipside

Chapter 5

The weekend was destined to be a long one. Since Hermione's parents were currently her age and didn't know she existed, there was no one to sign their permission for her to go out on the free weekends. Lily had gotten up super early to get ready for her first date with the Gryffindor golden boy. Hermione had helped her pick out her clothes and had used a bit of magic to straighten the back of her hair when a comb couldn't tame it. Lily was so nervous she didn't want to go to breakfast. She fished out a couple of granola bars from her trunk and offered one to Hermione. She shook her head which was full of indecision. So many things were weighing heavy on her mind she didn't even know where to begin sorting it out. One thing of course was hoping that this thing with James worked out for Lily so that her best friend would eventually be born and not to mention save the world. She of course was thinking of how she could find a rare magical artifact with basically no money or knowledge about where to find one. But firstly and lastly was Severus Snape. The first part wasn't that worrisome; her crush seemed definitely one sided and she would just have to get over it. But the lastly part was something she hadn't thought of before. What if her even interacting with Snape would change her future. With Lily she was a childhood friend she would forget with growing up but with Snape he had kissed her. A man like him would never forget one of the few girls, if not the only he had kissed. What to do? She thought.

It was almost one in the afternoon by now and she figured maybe she should do her thinking on a full stomach. She grabbed a copy of a wizarding newspaper from the bin in the hallway and she ventured to what would probably be an empty lunch hall. As she came around a corner to her surprise she was face to face with a paler than normal Severus Snape.

"What are you doing here?" they each asked each other.

"Eating," replied Hermione. She hugged her newspaper to her chest. She could see the boy had been probably running because he was breathing rather hard.

"Why aren't you out with Lily?"

Hermione thought for a moment before she answered and said, "Since I was new my parents wouldn't sign the consent forms."

"My dad wouldn't sign them either. That's why I'm stuck here. I wished I could have went today of all days."

"Why?"

"To protect Lily from that horrible boy. I know he is going to break her heart."

Without truly realizing it both had sauntered to an empty end of a table and sat down. Hermione opened the paper to the classifieds and was hoping to find someone who just happened to be selling a time turner. Severus was going on about how he cared so much for her and what a jerk Harry's dad was, what with the bullying he did and his arrogance but then Hermione spotted the ad she was looking for. Her eyes lit up and she shook the paper.

"If you want to go so bad, let's just go."

"Jane, we can't just go. They've already left if you planned on sneaking out with the group."

"Well, I'll just apparate us both there."

"You shouldn't know how to do that! You've only been here two days," the boy snarled. That was the Snape that Hermione knew.

"I'll have to explain it later. Do you want to go or not?"

"Fine, I'll go but if I end up in Hosgmede with a foot where my head goes I will kill you with an ingrown toenail."

Hermione laughed at what a boy he was being and raised her wand out of her robes. "Hold on to me so we can go together."

Snape looked from side to side to see if there were any Society members there to see the goings on but no self respecting Slytherin would be left at Hogwarts on a free weekend. Still he knew he had to be careful. Not only could he be seen but there was the chance they could get busted for underage magic.

"Wait. Can we go some place else where no one will see us one moment and than not the next?"

"I know the perfect place. No one has been there for years," she paused, " or at least so I have heard."

She grabbed his hand and began to lead him to the empty classroom where she had ventured into this time. When they got there she again peaked for renegade students looking for a place to be alone and she almost had dragged the boy inside. "Is this better?" she asked still holding his hand. She looked down at their now interlaced fingers and blushed. Severus noticed and dropped her hand suddenly. She looked up and said, "you have to hold on or you will be left behind."

"Alright," he answered. He took his arm and slid it around her waist. "Is this better?" he asked flashing a sly smile that made her face beat even more red.

"Yes," she stammered. "That is quite alright." She then lifted her wand and said the words that would send them where she intended to go.

After a moment the two of them were standing outside a small collectors shop. "I even got the address right," she said aloud as Severus let go of her.

"This is where Lily is?" he asked as he peered in the window.

"Well no, I have one errand I need to make before we find Lily and James."

Severus held open the door to the shop for Hermione and walked in behind her. "Please don't say that boys name."

She turned to him and stopped. "Why do you hate him? I saw they are mean to you but why shouldn't she have happiness?"

It was the boy's turn to blush. He answered the only way he could think of, honestly. "I always thought she would be happy with me. But at the moment I'm not so sure that is what the future holds."

Hermione knew what she wanted to tell him. You will hold out for her what must be your whole life, even passed her death, and you will grow up to be maybe the world's greatest potions master. But at the cost of being a jerk and never experiencing real love. She wanted to say, I could be happy with you. She had this feeling in the pit of her stomach that was telling her it wasn't a lie, that she could be happy with him. He was emotional and loyal with vast intelligence. He stood up to her, something even back home Ron could never do. She had all but forgot she ever had dreams about Ron and how one day he would stop being a child and love her like a man. All she could think about the here and now, with Severus before the world had tainted him. Here and now, she thought, here. Here. I'm here so I can get home. Not to be making moves on Snape. "Maybe not," she said before turning back around and going up to the counter.

There was a very old and small man behind the counter. He almost looked surprised to see any customers at all. He asked the pair what he could do for them, if the were looking for an engagement ring. Hermione blushed and Severus looked away. Hermione leaned over the counter and whispered about the ad she had seen and if she could have at least a look at the time turner. Just out of curiosity of course.

"You are too young to buy that kind of artifact, dear. But I'll show you if you like."

"Well it's not for me. I'm just making sure it's what he is looking for." The shop keeper raised his eyebrow in question to which she replied, "It's for Professor Dumbledore. He told me he was looking for one."

"Anything for Albus, if it's what he wants I'll let him know it. Is that alright?"

"Of course, " she said. He pointed down and aisle, of which there could have been easily a hundred or a thousand. "About halfway down there to the right. You'll have to forgive me for not going with you. I'm too old for that walk."

Severus scanned down the aisle that seemed to go on forever. He wasn't sure he could even walk it. As the two ventured on he looked over at Hermione. "I didn't know you brought me here under a guise of an errand for Dumbledore."

"I wasn't sure if you wold come otherwise. I wasn't quite brave enough to come alone. I haven't been in this world long you know."

"Two days, I know. And you seem to have turned it flipside for me."

"What are you going on about?" she asked. She looked back and it seemed to her like she would never notice if they had gotten 'about halfway down'.

"Look you have to know I love Lily. And I'm hell bent on my studies. I've got my life all planned. And then you show up and make me break a wizard law and hold my hand which I don't even know what it means. But I know it isn't part of my plan. I just don't know."

Hermione stopped walking. She turned her whole body towards Snape and put her hand on his shoulder. "Do you think I know what I am doing?" The boy took a step forward and she took one back. He kept inching towards her and she kept moving away. Finally her back hit showcase and she couldn't go anywhere. There was an air of determination on his face as he held her to where she was. She thought, he is going to beat me up. But instead he kissed her so fast and so hard she lost her breath. She mashed her lips against his and felt his tongue slip inside. She knew neither of them knew what they were doing and for a moment she didn't care. He pulled away and opened his eyes. She saw his lips part to speak and what he said was, "I think I found that time turner."


	6. I Just Want You to be Happy

Chapter 6

Severus knew his day was going to be all about running. He had places to go and things to do and none of them better involve that girl, he thought to himself as he dressed in robes. Ever since that Jane had arrived her had thought of nothing but her. She was in all of his classes now and she had been in his dreams for two almost sleepless nights. Today he had to get her out of his thoughts. He was meeting Malfoy first thing for him to help the other boy with a potions paper. And then he had to find a way to chaperone Lily from afar when she went out with that dreadful James Potter. Just thinking his name made Severus ill so he couldn't even imagine the two of them together having a good time.

By one o'clock he was already exhausted. He had spent a grueling two hours watching Malfoy look at himself in the mirror while Severus did his assignment for him. Then he spent the rest of the morning trying to get someone in the staff let him out on free weekend. Which of course, was unsuccessful. He had finally given up and figured he should run to lunch just before the meal ended. And that was when he saw her, as in he saw her as she about knocked him over.

Since then everything physical was a blur. They had sat down, exchanged words, apparated in Hogsmede and were now in some artifact shop and she was whispering to the clerk behind the counter about time turners. He wondered truly what her fascination with the notion must be, why she kept digging around for that kind of information. The clerk told her that she wasn't of legal age to buy one and she told him it wasn't for her but for their headmaster.

Maybe that's why she came mid year. He thought to himself as he began to follow her down the dark and never ending aisle way. Just maybe she finally had an interest in something magical. She obviously is a very talented witch but she could have been researching spells such as appartion at home if she could find the materials. She waled in front of her a couple of paces and all he did was admire her. Why did she have to be a Gryffindor? He asked himself as he noticed the onset of arousal. At least then I could pursue her without the Society getting up in arms about. She has to be interested, he thought, the touch of her hand and her blushing. That nervousness that is the same that I feel right about now. By now that Potter probably has Lily so far under his influence she will hardly want to see me let alone love me; this could be my only chance. To hell with all of the planning I've done. To hell with it all.

Finally he mustered the courage to speak. "I didn't know you brought me here under a guise of an errand for Dumbledore."

She looked back at him with her huge eyes and said, "I wasn't sure if you wold come otherwise. I wasn't quite brave enough to come alone. I haven't been in this world long you know."

"Two days, I know. And you seem to have turned it flip side for me."

Severus took a huge breath. This was all so new to him. He was never very open about his feelings, especially when they could get him in to trouble.

"What are you going on about?" she asked. She looked back behind him and it seemed to her like she would never notice if they had gotten 'about halfway down'.

"Look you have to know I love Lily. And I'm hell bent on my studies. I've got my life all planned. And then you show up and make me break a wizard law and hold my hand which I don't even know what it means. But I know it isn't part of my plan. I just don't know."

Hermione stopped walking and faced Severus. She had to have been either stunned or angry because she just furled her brow. "Do you think I know what I am doing?" she demanded of him.

Before he knew it he just had to have her. He couldn't even stop himself. He took steps forward and she moved backwards til he had her against the wall. And he kissed her. It was an awkward lip smashing but he knew he was enjoying every second of his first real kiss. This eyes were closed but he could imagine her glorious lips against his and her sweet tongue brush his as he made an effort to do what he had only dreamed of ever doing. When he found himself breathless he opened his eyes and saw they had made it to their destination. He put his face right next to her ear and said, " I think I found your time turner."

He felt her jump a bit and whispered back, "I don't care. I just want you to keep kissing me."

"No really, you should look. We came all of this way." He felt her reluctantly move her arms from around his back and turn her head. She saw the shiny gold hourglass encompassed buy a gold ring. A tear came to her eye and she said that was exactly what she had been trying to find. For Dumbledore.

"Okay then," she added, "did you still want to find Lily?"

"I had all but forgotten that's why I came. It's kind of hard for me to think of anything but that kiss right now," he said scratching the back of his head and blushing.

"Yeah I kind of want to talk about this."

"Can we just get out of here? We can go somewhere to talk."

"Yeah just um, hold on to me and we can apparate from here."

Severus put his arms around her and held her close. She spoke and before they knew it they were standing outside of Hogwarts. Hermione thought about what she had done wrong that they hadn't gone back to the classroom. She then remembered there were all sorts of charms that kept people from entering Hogwarts through apparition.

She had to think quick how they were going to get in but she then noticed the group of students coming back from their day trip. Lily spotted and ran to the pair and slipped her arm into Hermione's.

"I had the most wonderful day. I am so grateful you convinced me to go, Jane. He was such a gentleman, Severus. Don't be cross."

Severus just looked at Lily's smile and nodded."I'm glad he was good to you. You deserve to be happy." He looked over at Hermione who had a large smile of her own. She whipsered, "I'll come to you later. Meet me outside of your dormitory at 8, ok?" Again the boy nodded and followed the girls inside while he heard Lily gabbing about her date a mile a minute.


	7. If We Fail, Where Will the World Run?

Chapter 7

Lily had finally left Hermione alone to her thoughts at dinner time. In her haste to get to food Lily hadn't even noticed Hermione hadn't kept up with her to the dining hall. But that was fine by Hermione who needed some time to herself. Time to decide what she wanted to do. She now knew the location of a time turner so she could get back home. But the problem now was she wanted to stay. She had made a good friend in Lily and a much better friend in Severus Snape. She thought that maybe if she stayed she could be just as happy as she had been in her old life. She thought maybe she could tell him the truth about where she came from. Since she had to meet Snape at 8 she had plenty of time from now until then to go talk to Dumbledore about staying.

Once past the gargoyle Hermione sat in the office and waited for the headmaster to reappear after the meal. She had noticed he was always a fast diner and retired faster than most other staff. She didn't wait too long before Dumbledore entered his office. He saw her and greeted Hermione with a large smile.

"Hello, Jane. What have you come to see me about? I hope everyone is treating you well."

"Yes sir. But I wanted to ask a question. What do you think would happened if I wanted to stay here?"

"I don't think that would be a good idea, dear," the headmaster said, "this is a very serious matter. If you stayed it would disrupt time as we know it. The minute you got here, you were completing something that was destined to happen in your time but had already occurred in your past. Nothing happens as an accident when it comes to time travel. That artifact not only sends you back or forward in time but makes it so that what you do has always been intended to happen. Does that make sense?"

Hermione looked down at the floor. She had known all along she couldn't stay. Why should she want to anyway? She had a life at home. "Yes, I understand. I just. I well. I didn't expect to fall in love, sir"

Dumbledore took a few steps and sat down behind his large desk. "I thought you may have been being influenced by a matter of the heart."

"Yes, you see, Professor, I know some of these students that I have met in my own time. Why don't they remember me? I mean my best friend here is Lily and she is..." she thought for a moment how to phrase it without disclosing what actually happened in the future, "wasn't really around for my best friend but Severus becomes my teacher someday. Don't you think he would recognize a girl he had once fallen for?"

"That I don't know. You may have to ask me in twenty years. What else is on your mind?"

"I broke a rule today, sir. I apparated. To Hogsmede to find a time turner. I found one at this little shop. Of course, I'm not old enough to buy it but... I can get home now."

Dumbledore shook his head. "You knew that you aren't old enough to do that. And why would you do that if you were so intent on staying? Now that I am aware of this artifacts existence I have to get you home immediately."

"Well really I wanted to go home to run away. It's a lot to cope with. Being stranded in the past and making a life here. Falling for someone I will see in the future."

"I understand child. But fate is fate."

Dumbledore walked over to his floo and beckoned the girl to follow him. He gave her instructions so she could go first and he could follow her to the location. And with that they were gone and Hermione never returned to 1975.

Severus nervously waited outside of Dumbledore's office for someone to answer the door. Hermione had said she would meet him at 8 but by quarter after she still had not shown up. He went to find her but she was no where to be found. Lily said all of her stuff had been removed from the tower and her head of house knew nothing about her whereabouts. The only other person he thought was close to her had to be Dumbledore. She had been looking for that artifact for him, hadn't she? He for sure must have known where she had gone too. Severus's heart felt deep and empty as he continued to wait for the old man to come let him in. Finally the headmaster came to his rescue and invited the boy inside. Both of them took seats around the large desk on the far side of the room and Severus was the first to speak.

"Sir, I came to talk to you about the new student, Jane. I was supposed to meet her but she never showed. I was worried so I came to you."

"She was called home unexpectedly. Prepare yourself that she may not return, my boy. There are things about her family you just don't understand."

"Did she leave a note or anything for me? We just, today, we ..." Severus verbally went off confused.

"No I'm afraid not. She did speak of you and said she wished she could stay."

Severus choked back large tears when he said, "I don't ever want to remember she came here." The boy ran his left hand through his hair and then tugged it in rage. "Can't you make me forge?. Isn't there some kind of spell so that I can get back on with my life and never think of her? Ever since she came here she is all I think about."

"That kind of magic is dark I dare not use it. Severus, my boy, I will give you my best advice. Pain heals with time."

Severus stood up and knocked the chair backwards. He wiped away a tear with an angry fist and proceeded to leave the room. As he got to the door and he turned around and said, " if you can't help me, I know who will." Snape was now in search of a Malfoy, and in turn a dark Lord.


	8. Destiny and Jealousy

Chapter 8

Hermione recognized right away where she was. She was back in the dusty classroom at Hogwarts. She had made it back. She carefully took the time turner off of her neck and left the room. She strode down the hall and straight for Dumbledore's office. She kept playing the words he had spoken to her just minutes ago but was really 20 years ago. Dumbledore was outside of his office and just going inside when Hermione arrived. "Professor, can I have a moment?" Dumbledore just cocked his head to the side and gave a wry smile before opening the door and inviting her in. He motioned for her to sit down and offered her dessert and tea which she declined. She took a huge drink of air and then began talking. "You will never believe where I have been."

"I do have an idea. I remember it happening a long time ago," the old man said as he finished a sip of tea. "I'm glad you are back. I'm sure it was all quite a fright to you."

"So you knew this was going to happen and you didn't warn me?"

The professor chuckled, "I knew it the moment you became enrolled here. I recognized you right away. I couldn't stand in fates way and stop you could I?"

"I suppose not even though a warning like, don't get the time turner wet or you won't be able to get back would have been nice."

"All is well that ends well. I suppose you don't want to use it anymore. Since you had this accident and all."

"No, not really. But I want to ask you the question I did on my last day in 1975. Do you now have an answer?"

The professor leaned forward in his seat and had a very serious look in his face. "I think it would in your best interest not to try and bring it up with him. He doesn't remember you at all. He wanted to forget. I don't know what kind of dark magic had blocked you out of his memory but he did it for a reason. Which is good because you can be his student without the awkward situation, don't you think?"

Hermione leaned back in her chair and sighed. The old man was right, what was she going to do? Go give Snape a big hug and tell him she missed him?

"But I felt something for him, Professor. I think about him even now as an adult and I still feel smitten."

"Miss Granger I advise you not to tell him anything. He will not be kind about it I'm afraid."

"Alright Professor. I won't run to him and ask him about it." But inside her head she was thinking to herself, not today, anyway. "Does anyone know I was gone?" she continued.

"The time turner makes it so no one noticed. Its part of its magic.

"Can I tell anyone?" Hermione asked. She wasn't sure who she should tell but eventually she would have to talk about it. Things that happened to her in that few days seemed so pinnacle to her future.

"Only people you trust, sincerely trust, should hear any parts of it."

"Thanks Professor; you have been a huge help."

Dumbledore watched the young girl as she exited the room. He could see exactly what was going to happen. She was going to talk to Snape about it someday. He wasn't sure how she would do it but she was smart and could maybe break through his defenses. The only problem was that she was a student and he a teacher for another full year after this one. Hopefully she would use that huge brain of hers to stay out of trouble.

Hermione knew that if no one had really missed her except she had missed her last class of the day waiting for Dumbledore she she could head back to Gryffindor Tower; but she had at least some explaining to do for her absence even if she wasn't sure how to tell the whole truth.

When she got inside Harry and Ron were sitting in the common room separated by a game of wizard's chess. Ron saw her walk in and immediately rose from his seat. "Hermione, where have you been? You never miss a class." He looked at Harry embarrassingly, "What? You were just as worried, right mate?"

"Yes, Ron, I was worried about Hermione. Where were you, anyway?" he said motioning her to come and sit in the empty chair near them. She walked over the big green leather chair and pushed it at the front of the game table.

"I was in Dumbledore's office. You remember how I was using a time turner to take more classes?"

"Silly idea, if you ask me," Ron said sitting back down, "you should be spending more time with us. I feel like I am losing you, Hermione. I mean we feel like we are losing you, right Harry?"

"Yes, Ron, now move your piece. I'm winning for once," he answered. "Go on, 'Mione."

"Well I told him I didn't want to anymore, that's all."

"Brilliant, more time for me," the boy looked up, "I mean us. Oh, Christ," he said as he noticed Harry had taken out his rook by a mean spirited knight.

"Hold on," Harry broke in. "You can't pull this one over on me; you love runes. You are always talking about how important they are. What is really going on here?"

Hermione sighed. She looked at the two boys in front of her and she felt compelled to tell them about what had transpired.

"Alright but you have to know this is a total secret." Both boys nodded accordingly and they all moved their heads close in together. "I had a bit of an accident. I spent the last 3 days twenty years in the past."

"Are you alright?" both boys asked in unison.

"Yeah, I'm ok. Harry I met your mum and she was just wonderful. I wish I could have brought you something of her. She really took care of me while I was there. At first I had thought she was Ginny because I had just seen her hair and it started our friendship."

"You are so lucky to have even had a day with my mum. What happened to you?"

"Well mostly I just went to classes on Friday then it was the weekend. But you will never guess who Lily's best friend was."

"No, who?" Harry asked wanting to know whatever he could about his mother.

"Snape."

"I knew they had been classmates. I saw it in occlumency. Best friends though, really? I'm surprised he treats me as he does then."

"He was different back then. I mean he was still very secretive but sweet. Loyal..."

"Hermione?" Ron cut in. "The word sweet should never be applied to Professor Snape."

Quick in her defenses she said, "he was to me. And to Harry's mum. But there is something I am uncertain about. He had friends in this Slytherin Society who didn't want him to associate with us. I'm not sure I've ever heard of it so I don't think it exists anymore. All I know is he had to be totally alone before he would hold my hand." The words fell out of her mouth before she realized. She hadn't quite planned on telling them that part so soon. Ron's face reddened as he all but yelled out his disbelief.

"You are going to tell me, that you went back in time to the 1970's, was best friend's with Harry's mum and held hands with that greasy man who can't teach us potions? You are nuts!"

Hermione stood up from her chair and placed her right hand on her hip. "How can you be so dense, Ronald? Is it because you are jealous? That someone else got to me before you? I know you like me; why haven't you just said it? When he kissed me it was like nothing I have ever felt; and you are even embarrassed to tell me you worried when I missed a meal. Piss off!"

With that she left the boys to their game and their thoughts. Ron moved his last remaining piece, a bishop and sighed heavily laying his head on his arm."

"I think you blew it," Harry replied.

"Thanks, I think I figured that out."

"Not to add insult to injury, but I think I just won. Check mate."

Ron checked the board over and over. Now with his bishop taken all he had alone was a king with no where to go. "Bollocks!."


	9. Sadly Even More

Chapter 9

A/N Since I have been sick I spent the last few days working over these two chapters and they may be two of my best. Let me know and enjoy.

Hermione Granger was almost 16 years old but she was already a timer traveler. Her adventure may make her seem special but really it is her ordinary-ness that makes her so. She is a bright girl who is easy to make friends with. She has two loving parents who can not do magic but are so proud of her for being able to do so. They are very intelligent and so is she. She has two best friends, both of them boys but she is equally as tough. One of her friends was bred to be the savior of the world so you would suppose this story would be about him, but it is not. Her other best friend was a small and hungry red head who just happened to be in love with her, which may lead you to think this story is about him too. But again you wold be mistaken. Even if in her pre time traveling days she fancied the boy she now had another man in her life. And that is who this story is about, a one Professor Severus Snape.

So much of it was now coming about in her head since she had so little to go one. Just a kiss 20 years in the past and memories of her and her friends supposing he was evil. But now with a change in perspective she had other thoughts that she was making up as she went along. Even if this man was more scarred and mistreated as he had been as a child, she still was falling in love with everything she brought to her mind about him.

On top of having a fight with Ron, the only boy she knew she ever had a real chance with and terrible dreams of what would happen if she approached Severus Snape, again Hermione did not have good night's rest. She woke up in her dorm with the other girls almost expecting a bouncing Lily by the eighth hour but not ready to face the day. She wanted to pull the covers farther around her head but that of course was not a possibility; she had to get to class. As she got up and began to dress and fix her hair she thought about what she should do. She would see Snape that day in potions, but if she would talk to him she wasn't sure. She knew he wouldn't talk to her in front of the other students and there wasn't much of a chance to get him alone either. He had been teaching her for five and some years and he had yet to remember her face. Even Dumbledore couldn't tell her why he didn't know her apart from anyone. So she would just have to find someone who could tell her.

After one last check in the mirror she head to breakfast to attempt at making up with her friends. She saw the two boys sitting together in their usual spot. She sat down next to Harry and put her books down on the table in front of her.

"I'm sorry," she began and both boys looked at her. "I'm sorry I acted like a jerk. I know it was a shock for you to hear."

"You can say that again," Ron said with a full mouth and Harry reached over and smacked the back of his head.

"We are sorry too, Hermione," Harry said. "Both of us are. We should have been more supportive."

"Yeah, I'm sorry too. You are right, I think I was a bit jealous. Forgive us?"

"Of course. You guys are my best friends."

Harry looked at Hermione. She had a small arch in her brow that usually indicated she was thinking. He saw she was wearing her newer set of robes and she had a bit of sparkle in her hair. She had to have something up her sleeve. "So, you told us you kissed Snape. Why hasn't he noticed you? He at least would be treating you different if you look the same as a girl he once had a crush on."

"I thought so too. I asked Dumbledore but he told me he wasn't sure why. All he knew was that Snape wanted to forget after I left. I suppose I would have to. I can't stop thinking about him myself." She looked up to the head table and Snape was sitting there like he was every day, but to Hermione there was just something special about him.

"So what are you going to do? He's our teacher, I mean... you don't plan on seducing the professor do you?"

"Harry! Gosh no. I am just curious now, I suppose, if things could have worked out for us. I just don't know where to get the information. I think if I knew more about the Slytherin Society I could maybe find out how he got me out of his memory."

Ron swallowed his last mouthful of food and opened his mouth to speak. "Not that I think this is a good idea at all, especially because he is mean spirited and an old, greasy git and a Death Eater..."

"Suspected Death Eater," Hermione reminded him.

"OK, suspected Death Eater, but maybe you should like look them up in the yearbooks. If they were a legitimate club you could find them and maybe you could talk to someone who could have known him then."

"I don't think he had a lot of friends then," Harry pointed out. "He doesn't have a lot now."

Herminoe's eyes lit up as she figured out what she was going to do. "He does have one friend now that I know he had back then."

"Who?"

"Draco's father."

Classes that day were absolutely excruciating to sit through. Each lecture antagonized Hermione with more and more time to have thoughts of Severus Snape. She was so interested in what was going on in her mind she forgot to volunteer to answer every question in class. She was even kept after by Professor Flitwick because he worried she was sick. Eventually she got to potions where she at least could study Severus to see if she was really still interested in the man after all. Besides that she had her plan for finding out information all figured out and she came prepared with a note.

After the class was seated she waited for the professor to enter. He always walked with such intentionality, she thought as he went up the aisle and stood at the front of the room. He began instructing the students to pull out their quills and parchments and try to keep up. Today's class would be all auditory in preparation for the difficult brewing they had in tomorrow's double session. She pulled out the note. She handed it to Harry, who was sharing her desk that day and asked him to pass it to Seamus who could easily have passed it to Malfoy sitting directly behind him.

Harry looked at her and whispered, "I don't think so Hermione. We have been following Malfoy around all year trying to see what he's been up to. It's not safe to get involved with him or his dad."

"Potter," Snape said as he turned around. "Must I stop my class for you and Miss Granger to finish you conversation?"

"No, Professor."

"Good. No one should think the world revolves around themselves, Potter." And the tall man refaced the whole class and began again. Now that no one was going to help her she figured she would get the note to Draco herself. She tipped her chair back a bit and then set it back down. Easy enough, she thought.

"Stop it. You are going to get caught," Harry recommended but Hermione didn't want to listen. She tipped her chair back even further and as she was about to get her piece of paper onto the Slytherin's work station, her chair fell and she tumbled, humiliated, to the ground.

Snape who had just turned his back so he could illustrate on the blackboard whirled around at the sound of the falling student and yelled, "Mister Potter!"

"Professor it wasn't me this time. Hermione just tipped her chair, sir."

Hermione was getting up off of the floor and her cheeks were a dark shade of crimson.

"Well Miss Granger, you just saved your friend from another grueling evening in detention with me by getting one yourself. A first I may add. Now if we may get back to potions we can deal with that note in your hand later, hmm?"

"Yes, Professor."

She put her chair back where it had started and then sat back down to try and do her schoolwork. It was just such a chore. She spent more time watching the words come out of Snape's mouth than actually understanding them. She watched his fingers as he waved them in explanation and as they grasped the chalk. It was almost uncanny to her how she never realized what his sight could do to her until she had met him in the past.

Harry pushed her a slip of his parchment which read, "Even after he gave you detention, are you still into him?"

She paused for a moment and she wrote down her answer. "Sadly even more."


	10. Avoidance and Mystery

Chapter 10

Hermione was nervous because two things were weighing so heavy on her mind, both of course were related to Severus Snape. Her perfect record of no detentions was now broken thanks to her clumsiness and that alone was upsetting to her. How could she be so careless? She wasn't even sure what she had been thinking about. Harry had been right to help her try and contact Lucius Malfoy through his son. HE was a proven Death Eater even if Snape was not. She was going to go through with that dangerous situation over a man she realized she hardly knew. And that was the other thing that scared her; maybe she didn't know him as well as she liked to have thought. Almost in the instant she had arrived at his door she came to the conclusion she was being impossible and the memory of his kiss was fading fast. She raised her hand and hesitated before knocking at the potion's lab door. The door swung itself open a crack and she helped it all of the way and then entered. She could see Snape sitting behind his desk in the room adjacent.

"Come in, Miss Granger. I'm glad at least one Gryffindor can be punctual," he said dryly without glancing up from the papers he was writing.

The girl walked up the aisle past her own seat and then the blackboard and went into the side door to Snape's office. Her hands clammed up and her face was flushed as she took the seat across from him.

"Good evening, Professor. Sorry I'm so nervous I have never had to do this before."

Snape picked up his head and looked at the girl, her soft skin and cascading curls. So much had changed since she first came here, as it happens with all students. One day he looks at them as snot nosed brats and the next they soon would be snot nosed adults. With the exception of a bright few the man could stomach after graduation. He kept deep correspondence with former students of Slytherin who had exceeded his expectations and he wondered what would the future would hold for Hermione Granger. Would McGonagall get weekly letters from a future Ministry official or would she want to get knocked up and stay home with her inevitably Weasley children? Or would she choose to go back to the Muggle world after all? The world of Wizardry was often a dark and scary place. With the Dark Lord's constant growing in power daily, people with Hermione's bloodline could maybe soon be extinct; if someone didn't stop that madman first.

"I didn't bring you hear to punish you if there is nothing to be punished. This is a bit more of a discussion as to why all of a sudden you felt it necessary to disrupt my class."

"Well I," Hermione began but her throat quickly closed. Her eyes filled with huge tears and she held them as much as she could and only a few escaped down her cheek.

Gosh, no Slytherin child would cry after getting reprimanded, the man thought. I suppose that's why they get these stern chats while the other Houses scrub cauldrons. I may have to try this another way.

"Miss Granger. I'm not an emotional man but I am trying to ask you what is wrong. Please don't just sit there and cry."

Hermione's bottom lip shook as she wiped the wetness form her face. "I'm sorry. I've just been through of a bit of emotional stuff. Just with my friends really. A quarrel with Harry and Ron, that's all," she lied.

"Was that the note you were trying to pass in my class? An I'm sorry. Or maybe an I hate you?"

"No, I was trying to pass it to Malfoy." This made Snape raise his eyebrow in question of what kind of idiotic plot she had devised to get back at her friends. It seemed almost too Slytherin of her.

"It's quite unrelated I assure you. Nothing sordid at all. It was, um," Hermione said knowing she had to think fast. She was too ethical to really lie so she thought maybe she would just tell him the truth in a way she wouldn't get in trouble. "In the old yearbooks I was looking at last night with Harry. It mentioned this thing, the Slytherin Society. I was curious as usual so I was going to try and find someone who knew more about it since there is no mention of it in Hogwarts: A History."

Severus hadn't heard that name in years but ever since he had he had been running from it. He pictured all of the boys in his year that had joined and then he pictured them all again in their Death Eater robes. This girl did always want to know everything but this was one subkect she should never be enlightened about. This was something he had to avoid very quickly.

"Oh I doubt Draco would know anything about that because it hasn't been around since my time at Hogwarts. There isn't anything you really need to worry about it since it has been disbanded. Was there anything else you may need to know about as to not make problems in my classroom again?"

Snape was a bit perturbed and Hermione could tell it. He was awfully uncomfortable around the subject for something she didn't have to worry about. "I, um, wanted to know about it anyway sir. I think I may have a, friend, who has ties to it."

Of course you do, you silly child; your friend Potter wears a mark due to the Society. Not that I cant even tel you that.

"I believe, this meeting, Miss Granger is over unless you would like to spend the rest of the evening doing some cleaning out in the lab." She had pushed the line pressing him for more. How dare she, he thought. A moment ago he wondered what she wold have gone on to do but now he thought her curiosity may kill her.

"I'm sorry Professor. I really didn't mean to press so much. It really isn't my place to ask you what could be such personal question."

Severus mulled over that statement in his head a moment before he spoke again. "Could be?" he asked with a wry smile. There was an over accurate statement if he ever heard one.

Hermione didn't know how to put the words. She couldn't just tell him she knew he had been in it. Thinking fast was something she had been forced to do so many times in the last few days she had become almost an expert. "Well you were a Slytherin and you could have had friends in it. Or have been in it yourself. Since it has been disbanded there must have been a reason and you wouldn't really wanted to talk about these reasons I suppose. Now I'm just babbling I believe. Is this really all Professor?"

With a yes escaping from his lips, Hermione got up from the chair to leave. As she about cleared the doorway to the office he cleared his throat and she stopped. As she turned around, he did something he thought would be against his best judgment later. "Miss Granger, if you need someone to talk to I have always been available to my house. I can be available to you as well if you require"

"Thank you, I think, Sir. I did quite enjoy chatting with you even if you were not keen on what I asked. Hopefully next time it won't be under these circumstances. I promise to never get detention again."

"Don't worry. You didn't get detention."

And Hermione left the room smiling.


	11. I'll Be Waiting

Chapter 11

For the fourth day running Severus Snape woke up bothered. Hot and bother to be precise. Before the sun had even peaked over the horizon, Snape bolted up in bed panting and bathed in the dusting of light from a soon to come sunrise and he wished this would stop. He had been having vivid dreams, painted almost as if they were memory, of the same events over and over. There was himself in them as a young boy before he had been touched by immense death and also a girl he supposed to be his classmate. In these dreams he did things to her he could only blush to think about but he never saw her face. Then when he neared waking he grew old in almost an instant and she was horrified of the man who was defiling her. He wished this would really stop.

Even though it was quite early he still began to start his day as he normally would, with a kettle of tea and some dry food; today it was toast. Through all of his years of service both under Voldemort and Dumbledore he didn't have much time for food and had lost his appetite for flavors years ago. He found toast didn't usually upset his very nervous stomach and bananas mostly tasted the same coming back up as they did go down. It was just another technique of survival. After eating he put on trousers and a black oxford and set to was his face and all of that. As he stood in front of the bathroom mirror he looked into his reflection, raised his eyebrow admiring himself. "Pity," he said and went about shaving. When he was finished with his small bit of hygienic tasks he put on his waistcoat and hastily did up the buttons. He grabbed his teaching robes and draped them over his arm as he all but floated to the lab to check the results of a few experiments on his way to the official meal of the morning where he would sip weak tea and ignore everyone in an attempt to get out quickly and away from moronic Professors and students alike. He always keenly scanned the hall looking for misbehaving students not just for discipline but as an excuse to get out of the noise.

This morning he had two main concerns, only one of which he fully understood. The first was to watch Draco Malfoy due to an unbreakable vow taken by him to his mum to keep the boy out of trouble. There was always much work to do on both sides of the war and often it was done right here from the front of the Great Hall. The second of course was to do the same for Harry Potter due to an unbreakable vow taken by him to Albus Dumbldore. It was almost two decades ago when he vowed his life to save his lifelong friend's child from the Dark Lord. He took the Professorship at Hogwarts very seriously especially for this one job. Lily and he had been through a bit of a falling out at one time over her husband and maybe other things that couldn't come to his mind at the moment and he just had to make it up to her. Grieving over her death was never allowed to him because he was not the love she chose; not that Lucius Malfoy would have let him anyway. He supposed their falling out also had to do with this man and much more to do with the Dark Lord. He went to the dark wizard for a bit of magic he wanted in his young hormonal state. He didn't even remember why but it put him into service for life. Lucius had been fawning over the young boy and as a reward for his good service to Voldemort, Snape had been given to him. Every time he sat in a hard wooden chair ,a small pain would sometimes creep from the seat up his spine as a constant reminder of the good old days. The only form of love he really had ever known.

Draco seemed to be dealing well considering he had a lot of weight on his shoulders. Lucius, as one of the Dark Lord's most faithful followers, had offered his son into service before he was even old enough to be Marked and the boy was given quite a difficult task. Snape hadn't quite been told about the whole plan, no one in the party had, as to not let anything leak out before anything happened but he knew this was going to be something big. He expected to be called soon to discuss his role in a raid he supposed would be happening soon.

But Harry Potter was a different story because Snape almost never knew what the boy was thinking from just reading his face. These last few weeks he had been spending more time with him than he would have liked failing at Occlumency. He also had been spending most of the rest of his free time in Dumbledore's office doing who-knows-what in relation to the Order. The old man did not have much time left, that he knew for certain. He was indeed in possession of objects relating to Voldemort and that was taking a toll on him. Eventually the dark magic would take hold and it would just destroy his mind. Snape hoped that he could knock some sense into Potter before that happened. Today Harry sat intently listening to Hermione was spoke with smiling eyes. The boy looked almost astounded and he wondered what intellectual ideas she was touting to such an undeserving peer. Even her shadow Ron Weasley had stopped listening and was just staring off into space. The more he watched Hermione, the more he began to remember Lily. He watched her body language and the way she tossed her hair, they spoke almost identically sometimes it was shocking. Why couldn't she have been born to Lily instead of that brat who took after his father? He would have felt at least a little better about all of the time he had spent training a boy he thought didn't have the talent to ever succeed. He even chuckled to himself when he thought of Hermione in their first lesson and how fast she could catch on . There were so many things he could teach such a quick thinking mind. He realized he hadn't had a student like her in Slytherin in years. Not one in any of the houses either, really. If only he had more time as well.

Seeing things were all in order Snape was ready to sneak out when an owl brought him post. The green envelope fluttered down right in front of the man. He snatched it quickly and hid it in his robes. He nodded in parting to Dumbledore and got up from his seat. When he got through the doors he opened the letter. All it said inside was "I'll be waiting."

And Severus knew exactly who would be awaiting him in his office before the first bell even rang, a one Mr. Lucius Malfoy. Severus sighed with the thought he would be giving up his only time alone playing just another part. Everyone saw a different side of him. Students feared him greatly because he thought it necessary; being kind to students only made them weak and disobedient. His peers also had some fear, mostly because some suspected him of being a Death Eater, but others because of his intellect and cold demeanor. Albus still saw Severus as a young boy and in many ways he still was fragile and seeking approval. With Voldemort, well everyone knew how you had to be around Voldemort. But even though all of these facets were inside the man none of them were him at all. He treasured his alone time because the world expected far too much for one man. Or even three or four.

Severus had no idea why Malfoy would be coming there except maybe in the event to tease the man.

Severus stood outside his own door and could sense the man inside. In all of the years they had known each other, Snape was probably the closest thing to a friend Malfoy had. He mostly told him the truth and had no need to manipulate him. Voldemort had not yet pitted them against one another as he had many of his other followers and they had grown to have somewhat of a connection. But Snape still never trusted the man for a moment knowing what a true Slytherin the boy could be. He remembered being young and comiong into the Dark Lord's service. Severus had gone to Lucius for help and the boy feined true concern. He told him he had always loved him and would take care of him; and so he wa taken before Voldemort and Malfoy had asked the Dark Lord to take pity on his friend because he was having heart trouble over a muggle born girl in another house. Voldemort offered to help alter his memories of Lily so that he wouldn't dream of her any longer. Of course that offer came with a price. And he was still paying it to this day with half of his double life. Snape was about to turn the knob when he heard a voice inside/

"Severus. I can hear you breathing out there. Just come inside."

Snape walked in the door and the older man stood there with his arms out.

"I almost expected to find you dead. You weren't at the meeting last night."

Severus ignored the offer of an embrace and went to his chair behind his desk and sat down. There was a meeting last night and I wasn't asked to participate? He thought with a twinge of fear. Is it because He suspects I am a member of the Order? He had to calm his nerves or Malfoy would suspect as well.

"I didn't attend because I wasn't called. Not everyone has to attend every meeting," he responded dryly.

"I had just assumed you would have been there. He spoke of Draco's Marking. You are part of our family, it only seemed right he would have called you to be there to discuss the details."

"I suppose you would feel that way, Lucius. You know me more intimately than your wife. How is she by the way? Still witholding like the last 15 years?"

There was a flash in Lucius's eye for only an instant at the thought of his wife. He never quite was attracted to women as is expected in a wealthy family but he married Narcissa all the same. He had all he needed for pleasure as it was. Snape not often said no.

"Indeed. Are you making a round about offer?" the man asked as he came to sit on the side of Severus's desk.

Snape knew that the only way to divert the talk of him not being summoned by Voldemort was to put Lucius's mind in the only thing he care about besides power, which was sex. And mostly with him. It was almost a childish game they still played past their teen years. He would take the lead making himself seem interested. Lucius would chase like a dog after a biscuit and then Severus would aptly end their meeting. He had been avoiding actual intercourse with the man for a long time now and wasn't sure how long he could keep up the charade; much like most of his life.

"Not if you don't want your son walking in on it. His class begins in about 10 minutes."

"Well there is time," Malfoy answered as he put his hand on his friends chest and leaning his back in the chair.

"Blast it, Lucius. That's enough. I have a reputation to think about and so do you."

"As usual you are right, Severus. You were always the smart one," he said as he moved back to his original postion on the desk and straightened his robes. Severus's chest filled with relief as his took his first breath in moments. He put his hand to his head and rested it there for a moment and then covered his eyes.

"What is wrong with you? These kids getting too rough for you? Is it that moron Dumbledore?"

"No. Its just lack of sleep is all. I keep having dreams."

"I took dream interpretation in school just like you did. Is there something to tell?"

"I'm not sure. It's always about a girl I don't know. But it seemed I knew her when we were young. I think I love her... isn't that preposterous? Me, in love?"

Malfoy looked nervous and opened his mouth to speak but closed it again. He cleared his throat and then spoke. "I'll have to think on that one for you. If anything comes up in the tea leave I'll send you an owl," the man joked.

That was quite out of character for him, Snape thought. Since when has Malfoy joked? There were soon a meek pair of footsteps coming into the adjoining classroom.

"Good Morning, Professor," Hermione called into the office from her desk as she sat down her books and put in place her cauldron.

"Friendly, isn't she? Must be one of your Gryffindor's. No Slytherin would be so perky first thing in the morning. I ought to get out of here before I'm seen by too many people. Reputations. Remember?"

"Yes, Lucius. It may be best. I'm sure I'll be seeing you soon. Take care not to hurt the Gryffindor on your way out, eh?"

"You and your Gryffindor women," the blonde haired man said as he walked out into the lab to get to Severus's personal floo in his quarters to which he always had a key. He looked at the small girl as he strode out of the room but couldn't shake the feeling he had known her somewhere before.


	12. All to Myself

Chapter 12

"And you are sure he didn't mark your record with detention? Snape didn't delight in giving detention or taking points? What is the world coming to?"

Ron was grilling Hermione over breakfast while Harry sat silently.

"No he said not to worry. He said it was just a talk," she assured him.

"That doesn't make any sense. He's given me a thousand detentions and Harry at least a thousand and one. Its got to be because you are a girl."

Harry shook his head and directed his comment to Hermione. "All of these years Dumbledore has been asking us to trust Snape, right? Maybe there is a side to him we don't see. I've spent plenty of time alone with him and he has never showed mercy to me in the least. But he did for Hermione. So maybe we should be trusting him."

Ron looked at Harry like he was mad. And then he asked him if he was. "Are you mad? That's what you came up with? That we should trust Snape? Very loud, hateful, spiteful Snape should just be our best friend now. You've lost it."

"Dumbledore trusts him. That means a lot to me."

"Snape probably has a spell on him just so he can stay here to torture us."

"Ron just stop," Hermione cried. He had been listening to the boys go back and forth and the way Ron spoke of the man hurt her heart.

"Oh you are going to defend him just cuz you think you are in love with him. Well he is a jerk and will never love you Hermione. Just get over it already."

"Ronald!" she said with tears in her eyes. "You think you have him pegged, do you? Well I know him a lot better than I know you . Obviously." She picked up her books and left in a huff. Once almost out of the room she turned back and shouted, " Don't even think of sitting next to me in class. I would rather work with Draco Malfoy!"

As she walked to class the girl tried to clear her head. When had she and Ron ever fought this badly? She supposed they had always bickered some but they always straightened things out. Before this week she thought she was really falling for him but now that seemed all fuzzy. Actually her feelings for Snape kind of felt that way too, a little fuzzy. It was nice of him not to give her detention but there was something missing now. Was it all his years as a Death Eater that wore something out of him? Or just life in general? It could have been almost anything, she thought. Was she ready to take all of that on, seriously? Could she be there for someone like that? These were all questions she kept asking herself over and over while trying to decide if she even should continue. She knew she could do whatever she put her mind to, for sure. But was it something she really wanted?

She reached the classroom and went inside. She went over to where she and her friends normally brewed but took the end seat so Ron would either have to sit on the far side by Harry or somewhere else completely. As she began unpacking her things she heard voices in Snape's office. She debated on whether she should even say hello so she tried to listen to the conversation. She couldn't really hear and of the words but the tones sounded friendly enough so she called, "Good Morning, Professor." He didn't reply but she was sure he heard her because the conversation going on in the other room became a low mumble. When she had finished she sat down in time to see Lucius Malfoy emerge from behind the doorway and glare at her on his way out. Snape soon followed. He walked to his blackboard and grabbed a piece of chalk. He said an incantation for it write by itself and it set to work writing out direction for their classwork today as he himself sat in his chair next to the lecturn.

"Good Morning, is it? I always thought it was a silly salutation myself. Has anyone really been awake long enough to know if it will be good or not?"

Hermione smiled. A conversation that wouldn't include yelling; she could get used to that.

"I think it is more like wishing someone to have a good morning, not commenting on it. I have already had a horrible one and hope it would stop right here."

Her witty retort had done something for the man because he turned up half of his lip in a questioning smile and replied, "Well then, Good Morning."

At this Hermione laughed and put her head down as to hide her blushing and wonderment over his new found sense of humor. She pulled her hair back as she thought about what else to say. Snape had opened up something to read and was obviously just waiting for class to start but Hermione wasn't going to let it go that easily.

"Professor, what are you reading?"

Snape looked up over the magazine with an odd expression. "Just a journal. Don't really have need to discuss it." He looked down again and said, "I'm reading."

"Sorry. I was just finishing our conversation I suppose. I apologize."

"It is alright. I just lost most of my alone time this morning due to a visitor. I do enjoy my alone time."

"Mr. Malfoy. I saw him leave."

"Yes. Some people just drop in when not invited; he on the other hand has an open invitation. We go back a long ways."

"How do you get visitors, I'm curious? Since you can't floo inside Hogwarts, I mean."

Snape closed his magazine. He was a bit upset she couldn't take the hint to leave him alone but he was enjoying the conversation so he decided to carry on.

"Well he comes in the simplest way; through the door. Not everything has to be done by magic."

"Don't think I am pert for saying so, but this is from a man who uses a quick quote for his chalk board."

"Honestly I never thought of it any other way. All of the other faculty uses it too. My hands are too old to do all of that writing."

Hermione went to say he wasn't at all old but she was interrupted by a cavalcade of students filing into class. I must be earlier tomorrow, she thought as Harry slid in next to her, if I want him all to myself.

A/n: I swear there is a point to all of this LM/SS drama. And all of this crazy Ron/Hermione screaming. Its just part of the plot.


	13. Accidents in Leglimancy

Chapter 13

For the past week Hermione had been very early to class and at first he had not liked it at all. With all of the goings on with his classes and Dumbledore constantly on his back he had really been looking forward to moments of silence before hours of babbling students. But as the week had wore on he had come to almost enjoy speaking with her. It wasn't much really and never personal but he almost seemed pleased to have at least one student who was interested in learning something from him. After the first day she had come in each day with some sort of question for him to answer and as one never to shy away from work he did his best to give her knowledge. It was nice to see she didn't always know it all, in fact he liked it so much he actually let her answer a question in class. He must be going soft.

But today would be different. He dragged from his bed with horrible pains and had no time for self loathing when he went to wash his face. In fact he hardly noticed himself at all as he vacantly dressed and went straight to his office instead of breakfast as usual. The evening prior he had finally been summoned by the Dark and had been treated as a traitor. It had been very stressful for him to say the least not to leak any information to the Dark Lord and to prove his innocence which he eventually had. And only then had he been informed about his godson's marking that would be happening soon and the role he may have to play in his first mission. These were the things that weighed most on the man's soul; a young child being sent out to do a merciless killing.

He wasn't there but a moment when Dumbledore appeared in the crack of his doorway.

"May I sit down with you?" the old man asked as he opened the door without invitation. He was already in a seat by the time Snape had made his comment ripe with sarcasm. "How do you stand it to be so cold down here, Severus?"

"I know you didn't come down here to discuss the temperature of this room or any other. Know that I haven't been found out but I was treated like an enemy for the better part of an evening."

"Do you need attention from a healer? I could have-"

"NO," he shouted. He shook his head, cleared his throat and began again in a more normal tone. "No, I don't need a healer. I have my own potions to keep my company. That's why I am here," he said producing a vial.

"Thus why I came here to find you."

"I wasn't informed you were planning a game of hide and go seek, Albus. I did ascertain important information for the Order. You at least." Snape sat down and poured the vial into a cup of tea. He levitated another over for the headmaster. He stirred up the mixture and picked up the cup and took a sip. Without placing down the cup he said very nonchalantly, "they want you dead. They are sending Draco to do it."

The headmaster mulled over that information very carefully. He took off his glasses and then placed the back on his face. He took a sip of tea, almost as if nothing had been said. Finally he looked up and said, "this is very fortunate news."

Snape was agape from hearing the man say those words.

"Did you hear me say he is sending a child to kill you? Do you know what death does to the soul? It is his initiation; if he succeeds he will be Marked. "

"Severus, I know. I know what it means but he won't succeed. As to my death you know as well as I that I have little time left."

"I know this but you have a commitment to that brat Potter in getting him all of the information he needs to finish the work. I can't go traipsing all over the country with him and lead him by the hand when you have instructed me to take over Hogwarts."

"You have to take my place and use your influence to get the position. Someone will need to look after the students if He comes to power. I have plans for Harry that will be going through shortly. He is still getting that memory from Horace."

"Please don't even talk about that man to me; moronic coward. The year is almost up. You ought to just demand it from him."

"Harry will get it; I have faith in him just as I have faith in you to what is right when it comes to Draco."

"What do you mean by that, Albus?"

"What is it you always say? 'My soul has endured enough? There may as well be one more?' Severus you will have to come to his rescue. Kill me if that is what it takes."

Snape nodded in agreement as he heard rustling outside the door. "I think my students are arriving so that enough of this talk. Good day, Albus."

Dumbledore stood up from his chair and said good bye. As he exited the room and walked out into the class he noticed not that students were arriving but one student, the Granger girl. He stopped at her desk. "Good morning, Hermione. Early to potions I see."

Hermione squirmed in her seat, embarrassed at being caught by the professor that asked her not to interfere.

"Um yes. I just had a question to ask Professor Snape. Purely academic I assure you."

"I would hope so." The old man leaned down and whispered in her ear, "he is a bit testy this morning. Do be careful he doesn't whip you with that tongue of his."

Hermione giggled at the thought of a giant tongue being wielded as a whip. "Of course, Headmaster. I shouldn't bother him."

"That's a good girl," he said as he continued on out of the door.

Hermione pulled out her quill and parchment and waited. And waited. All of the students arrived and had sat down before Snape came into classroom. Her disappointments became concern when she saw the man weakly but steadily enter the class. Harry leaned over to her and whispered, "It looked like he's been beaten up."

She didn't answer him because she really hadn't heard him at all. She had blocked out all sound and the silence pounded in her ears.

After class Hermione hung around until all of the students had gone. She had already packed her papers and grabbed her bag and walked up to the Professor who was handwriting notes on the blackboard for what appeared to be a first year class.

"Professor?" she asked and he was startled. He really had thought he had heard each of his students leave by not being able to read any thoughts. Not that he really cared who Pansy Parkinson thought was cute this week or that Neville was determine to just once do a potion correctly, so he turned down the volume to just a hum so he could know when he was alone. He was startled less from her voice but her thoughts beginning the sound in his head. He turned around and there she stood. She looked frightened. Of course she would be frightened. Some days he felt like he really was a monster; because of the news from both sides of the war, today was one of those days.

"Yes, Miss Granger. I don't have time for your puzzles today. As you can see I am not feeling up to par. Maybe after the weekend you can ask me, is that all right?"

"Well, Professor. I just wanted to ask if you are going to be alright."

"Does it really matter?"

Hermione stepped a foot forward to the man. Things had been going so well between them. He had been giving her his valuable time each day and had almost smiled on several occasions. She had been truly enjoying his company as she had been hoping he was enjoying hers. She and Ron were still not on speaking terms and it had quite strained her friendship with Harry and ended hers with Ginny. With hardly anyone to speak to, these chats with Snape had been the highlights of her days. Of course it mattered to her if he would be all right. She thought she really could love him.

"It matters. I thought we were becoming friends."

"Miss Granger, I do not have friends. You are my student."

"Well as a concerned student, I want to know if you will be all right."

Snape turned back to his writing and answered her quietly. "Probably not. Now go away."

Hermione stood there and stared at his back. He had to turn around and tell her what was going on , she thought. She waited but nothing came. She finally had to leave because a younger student came in and she knew more were to follow.

As he heard her footsteps begin he realized he had not stopped using Leglimency and her thoughts were now ringing full volume in his head. Over and over he heard her say the words 'I' and 'love' and 'you'. It was the scariest news he had gotten yet that day.


	14. Why I dated Ronald Weasly

A/n: so sorry it has been so long in the update. In all honesty I wanted to read HBP and DH so I could get the time line for the next odd amount of chapters pretty dead on. Happy reading.

Hermione wasn't quite sure anymore. She wasn't sure about anything at all. The next morning now, she was able to think about the previous day a little clearer. Why had she felt so rejected by Snape, She asked herself? She figured it had to be just that she was enjoying her time with him; She really had thought they had become friends. Those once feelings of romance had all but disappeared and turned to friendship and care for him. That was why she wanted him to be alright, she was sure of it. But yesterday had been a peculiar day all and all; not just with Snape but with everyone.

First off, Harry hadn't been to meals. Or classes in fact. After potions, Dumbledore had sent for him and he never returned. This caused Hermione to feel lonely and she reached out to Ron who she had been feuding with for days. They had chatted idly for a few minutes across the dinner table when Ginny came and sat down next to her. All so quickly they were all friends again; she knew better than to discuss Snape even with his eyes so intently on her she took notice. She almost wondered out loud what he was thinking but kept it to herself. She instead started fiddling with her books on the table out of nervousness. She could remember this snapshot of herself so vividly because at that moment Ron took her hand in his across the table. For a moment Ginny had looked away to speak to another girl and Ron whispered, "I hope this is alright. I want to start over." Hermione had felt herself blush. It took her a moment to think and she nodded. She realized this fantasy in her head with Snape was just that, a fantasy. He was a troubled man. Her teacher in fact. He had no place in her life. She should be focusing on other students her age and her studies. Not Snape. She could remember turning her hand and cupping Ron's and then slowly interlacing her fingers with his. The spark she had felt with Severus was not there but she figured it would have to do.

But now she was sitting next to Ron again at breakfast before Hogsmede and his hand was sweatily placed on her hip. He laid his head on her shoulder and said, "I don't know why I didn't say anything to you sooner Hermione. I've always thought we would be a good couple. The fact is a few weeks ago I was ready to tell you and then this whole Snape thing happened. I'd thought I had lost my chance. I'm sorry I was so angry at you."

"I was being a bit silly myself Ron. That whole thing was a mess and I'm sorry I fought with you about it."

He picked up his head and look at her with a half cocked smile, "It was ridiculous wasn't it?"

Hermione swallowed. She definitely didn't like being called ridiculous but he was right. Snape didn't want anything to do with her. He had shown that to her yesterday morning. She shouldn't care about him even a little she thought. She then looked at Ron and kissed him.


	15. What Blood Brothers Really Means

After her first kiss in the Great Hall with Ron the week became a blur. Harry had returned. Dumbledore was dead. Draco was on the run. As was Severus Snape. Honestly Hermione couldn't even remember in which order those things had happened; though every time she cried, Ron did present his shoulder and it was a huge burden lifted, at least for a moment.

Most girls in the school were crying by the time they went home that year. How could you not when your headmaster was killed by one of your own professors. It was a good cover for the fact Hermione was really crying over Snape. The confusion from the week before still clouded her head as thought about the boy she knew and loved. She remembered how his arms and lips felt. How his voice sounded when he laughed or made fun of her. Even his voice yelling at her to stay away was still fresh in her mind and it brought her to tears. All of these memories strung together would never add up to Snape killing Dumbledore. Never. Even as she packed her trunk on the last day she wracked her brain, trying to find one strand of evidence that Severus was really evil. She knew that maybe the secret did lay between the time she had left Hogwarts and returned to her own time. She still was dying to know about the Slytherin Society. And this thing called a Horcrux.

After Dumbledore's death Harry had pulled her aside to tell her where he had been over the weekend. He and the old professor had been searching for a locket that must have been at one time part of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Now that Dumbledore was gone, Harry was going to have to search for them and destroy them himself. He felt it was why he had survived instead of his parents, that it was fates choice for his life. He would be leaving when all of the other students went for the train. When Hermione had heard that she knew that there was no way she could let Harry go alone. There were so many times they had all fixed problems together, even back to first year. She decided then and there she would dedicate the rest of her time to aiding her friends because they were the ones who had always been there for her. It must have just taken her a while to realize it. After their conversation she had two things to do before she packed; one was convince Ron and the other was to do research. She opted to get the harder one out of the way and go to Ron. Ron Weasley was hard to please and very stubborn but altogether it was not a bad conversation. She explained really everything to him and she added she couldn't do it without him while trying to maintain a smile. He had a freaked out look on his face but he still put his hand in hers. He was in.

So that left the research. With both the Horcrux and Slytherin Society on her mind she made her way to her sanctuary, the library. With all of the students almost going home and teachers just as ready to flee Hogwarts it was absolutely empty. She still had Harry's invisibility cloak with her just in case as she made her way to the Restricted Section. She turned the corner of the stacks to see her destination was a mess. Books splayed open, some with covers showing, other with pages. Everything was off of the shelf and none of the books were crying out. She realized that not only someone else must have gotten there first but also it was going to be much harder to find anything with things as they were. She walked into the piles and picked up her wand. She thought for a moment thinking what kind of spell she could use. Nothing really came to mind to set things right and she kept thinking to herself, I wish I could just summon the books I need. Looking down at her wand, she had the sudden realization she could! "Accio book on Horcruxes?" she tried and then waited. A book from the bottom of the pile shot free and landed right in her hand. Much better than a Muggle card catalog! she said and then tried the same plan for a book on the Society. With both book in her hand she sat at the only table near and looked at the both. "Rules and Doctrines for the Society of Slytherin" she read aloud as she looked at one cover. She opened it up and went to table of contents. With sections entitled "dress code" and "class standing requirements" she eventually found one on the history of the society that had technically boggled her mind for 20 odd years. She flipped to the page and began to read aloud to an audience of just herself.

"Begun in the time of the Founder's the Society of Slytherin has been a noble brotherhood open to all Slytherin house students. It had started as a salon for philosophies in the early century among Salazaar and his closest friends. Its tradition was passed down by pure bloodlines requiring all members to possess the wonderful traits of their elders. Strength. Power. Passion. Knowledge. Confidence. Solidarity. These are all part of the Slytherin spirit. All students seek to be part of the illustrious fraternity because it often leads to great political and social power but not all are accepted. Those who are initiated come to know the loyalty of their brothers, which the betrayal of can only end in death."

Hermione sat back in her seat to take it all in. Had Snape became one of these society members? Had he been forced to murder Dumbledore and maybe even become a Death Eater to save his life? With his disappearance she may never know but she would try and find out. She had to know. Maybe this is what had changed him from the sweet boy she knew to the Professor all students feared. She had no clue where to start. She leaned forward and pushed that book away. Harry and Ron came around the corner at the same moment she pulled the second book to her. "Look what I found," said as the boys surrounded her. At least they would know what they were getting themselves into.


End file.
